Kochi: Rajasthan Police have arrested a second suspect in connection with an alleged digital arrest scam in which a 90-year-old retired judge was cheated of ₹2.5 crore by fraudsters impersonating government officials.
The accused, Ebin Basil, a resident of Elamakkara in Kochi, was taken into custody on Friday, October 23, according to officials. The arrest follows the earlier apprehension of Anand Babu, a resident of Mannamthuruthu in Varapuzha, in connection with the same case.
Police suspect that the money obtained from the retired judge was transferred to bank accounts belonging to the accused in Kerala. Investigators are continuing their probe in the state, with officials suspecting the involvement of more people in the fraud.
The victim, identified as Ganpat Singh Bhandari, a 90-year-old former district judge, was allegedly targeted in August this year. According to police, the fraudsters posed as officials of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and a manager of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to gain his trust and intimidate him.
The accused allegedly claimed that Bhandari was linked to hawala transactions connected to the Pulwama case and threatened to arrest him. They reportedly kept him under what is commonly described as a “digital arrest” for approximately 15 days, using threats to pressure him into transferring the money.
The Rajasthan Police are investigating the financial trail and the suspected involvement of additional individuals. Kochi City Police have assisted the Rajasthan Police in making arrests in the case.
Digital arrest scams involve fraudsters impersonating law enforcement officers or government officials and falsely accusing victims of involvement in criminal activities. Victims are often kept on prolonged video calls and threatened with arrest unless they transfer money under the pretext of investigation or verification. Authorities warn that genuine law enforcement agencies do not conduct arrests through video calls or demand money to settle criminal allegations.
